* Astronomy

Super Typhoon Durian came ashore in the Philippines on November 30, 2006, with sustained winds as high as 230 kilometres per hour.
The storm’s name comes from a pungent fruit native to Southeast Asia. The twelfth typhoon of the season, Durian was projected as of November 30 to follow a track through the Philippines very similar to typhoons Xangsane, Cimaron, and Chebi, which all crossed the northern part of the island chain, bringing heavy rain and causing substantial damage. As with those other storms, Durian was expected to continue its eastward track and to cross the South China Sea, striking mainland Asia in Vietnam.


Expand (75kb, 560 x 394)
Credit NASA

This photo-like image was acquired by the Aqua satellite on November 30, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. local time (5:00 UTC), when Typhoon Durian was over the Philippines.

Storm Alert issued at 30 Nov, 2006 6:00 GMT
Typhoon Durian is forecast to strike land in the Philippines

Red Alert City(s) and Town(s)
Daet (14.2 N, 122.9 E)
probability for CAT 1 or above is 100% within 12 hours
probability for TS is 100% currently
Sorsogon (13.0 N, 124.1 E)
probability for CAT 1 or above is 100% currently
probability for TS is 100% currently
Manila (14.6 N, 121.0 E)
probability for CAT 1 or above is 65% in about 24 hours
probability for TS is 95% within 12 hours
Mamburao (13.2 N, 120.7 E)
probability for CAT 1 or above is 65% in about 24 hours
probability for TS is 90% within 12 hours